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FBI warns of 'mystery shopper' scam

By: Barbara James

The Columbus Dispatch - October 16, 2012 03:46 PM

The 'mystery shopper' scam that rears its ugly head from time to time has been reported in the
Dayton area, and the FBI is sounding the alert that it might also be in play in central Ohio and
elsewhere in the state.

Here's what the FBI is passing along by way of warning:

"In the Dayton area, “mystery shopping assistants” were hired to ship merchandise to
Russia. Subjects illegally obtained credit card information from victims. Using this
stolen credit card information, they ordered merchandise from various retailers and had it shipped
to the Dayton-area mystery shopper assistants. These mystery shopper assistants repackaged
the merchandise and sent it to Russia, unknowingly acting as an intermediary in a criminal fraud
scheme."

Other versions of the scam are being reported, too, some involving depositing counterfeit
checks then sending funds back to the so-called employer.

The FBI is encouraging people research such 'work-at-home' opportunities by checking companies
out with the Better Business Bureau and stay away from companies that want you to deposit checks
and wire or send
them money.